Years
by Coriannee
Summary: Seven years ago, Roy Mustang died. Or did he? She had always wondered. He left behind a lot of people who cared about him. He also left behind a daughter. Royai. T but may change to M in later chapters. No flames please! R&R!
1. Years

_Chapter One - Years_

"Well, sir, it's been quite a while." Havoc sighed, looking across the table at the former colonel.

"Well, Havoc, it's been seven years." Roy Mustang said, taking a drink of coffee.

"I guess you're right, sir." Havoc shrugged, looking the worn man over again. Roy looked a completely differant man. His jet black hair was longer than it normally was, he had lost weight and looked extremely tired, and had about a week's worth of a beard. The look didn't suit him.

"Havoc, stop calling me sir, I'm not you're no longer my subordinate." Roy said, seemingly distracted.

"Sorry, er, Roy?" Havoc said, akwardness floating in the air.

"So, who's the lucky girl?" Roy asked, pointing at the ring of Havoc's finger.

"Oh, her name's Ruthie. Without you around I was finally able to keep a girlfriend long enough." he smiled and pulled out his wallet. "Me, her, and the kids, Ian and Felecity." he said proudly as he showed Roy a picture.

"Don't turn into Hughes on me." Roy muttered, looking the picture over. "Cute kids." It was no lie, the boy had Havoc's light hair while the little girl had inherited her mother's dark brown hair, unlike the boys. Havoc's wife was extremely pretty as well.

"Mostly Ruthie." Havoc shrugged, glancing at the picture before putting his wallet back in his pocket.

"And I see you kicked the habit, too."

"Ruthie, again. It's the only way she'd marry me."

Roy hesitated. "How is she?" he asked, looking directly at Havoc.

"Lt. Hawkeye's good. She bought a house, just a few block's away from me and Ruthie, on Gracia's street. Roy, she had a kid a while after you, er, died." Havoc paused. "She said she was raped on the street, but everyone knows it's your kid."

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Roy asked, brow narrowing, chewing on his bottom lip.

"Girl. She turned six two months ago. Beautiful girl, smart too. Lt. Hawkeye's still in the military and Gracia babysits Cara everyday."

"Cara?" Roy asked in a voice Havoc had never heard before.

"Yeah, Cara." Havoc said with a smile, knowing how Roy felt. "Sir, what happened seven years ago?"

Roy took a deep breath and pressed his lips together. "The Führer sent me on a mission with his two 'most trusted officers.' Once we got into the desert, they attacked me one night. They knocked me out and tortured me for answers about what I knew from the Inside. I was able to escape and I got pretty far, into the middle of the desert and they found me. They shot me in the leg and left me to die. I used fire to close the wound and was able to make the three day walk to a desert villiage where they took me in. I took up residence in the villiage. I tried to send word to you or Riza, but I was sure that the military would be monitoring your mail, because they didn't know for sure if I was dead."

"Three weeks after you disappeared, they sent a team out to collect your body and couldn't find anything. It gave us all hope that you were still alive." Havoc said, "And that's definitely not the version they told us. They told us that in the middle of the night, you got raided and you were about to attack the raiders and they shot you. They said you died protecting them."

Roy scoffed.

"Sir, Lt. Hawkeye took it extremely hard. She'd take a break every day and nobody knew where she'd go, and she always came back with red eyes. I guess it was part hormones, but still. I followed her one day. She went to your apartment everyday until she came back outraged three months after you 'died' and said that they had no right to empty out your apartment and rent it out again." Havoc paused. "She's become good friends with Ruthie and two years ago, she was over on the anniversary of it all and she was crying and it was like she was just then coming to terms with it."

"When I was told about the mission, it didn't feel right. I didn't know what was going to happen or if I was going to live. I was out walking and I wound up at her apartment. I... I knew I couldn't go, knowing I might not survive, unless I told her. I felt so strange saying it to her. Before she could say anything, I kissed her and, you can kind of tell where things led." Roy said and found inner amusement on how Havoc was blushing.

"Are you planning on visiting her?"

"That's why I came back. Seven years, I just couldn't do it any more." Mustang said, putting his face in his hands. "I just don't know if I can do it, now that I know..."

"Sir, stay with me tonight, we'll get you cleaned up, then tomorrow. Tomorrow, we'll see what happens."

! 

When Riza's alarm went off at 5:45 am, she groaned and rolled over, feeling a warm, solid body curled up against hers. Riza kissed the top of her daughter's head and rolled out of bed.

Riza had a flutter in her stomach, one that was hardly ever there. Something was going to happen today, she was sure of it. Good or bad, she didn't know.

After her shower, she walked back into her bedroom where Cara was still curled in a tiny ball in the middle of the bed. Riza crawled back into the bed, her wet hair wetting the pillow.

"Cara!" Riza said in a sing-song voice, tickling her daughter. The six year old squirmed but didn't wake. "If you don't wake up, I'm gonna let Hayate eat you." she teased.

"Mama?" Cara mummbled, letting out a groan.

"Sweetie, it's time to get up." Riza coaxed her.

"I don't wanna!" Cara whined, finally opening her eyes.

"Well, too bad, Mama has to go to work." Riza said, laughing. "And why are you in my bed, anyway?"

"I had a bad dream." Cara said, rubbing her eyes.

"Oh. Well then." Riza said, scooping her up as she got out of the bed.

As Riza walked through the house, her daughter in her arms, Cara buried her head inbetween her mother's neck and shoulder and closed her eyes.

"Cara, don't you dare fall asleep again!" Riza warned as they walked into Cara's bedroom.

"I was just resting my eyes." Cara said, giggling as Riza set her down on the bed.

"Sure you were." Riza smiled, going through Cara's drawers. "Get dressed and I'll make breakfast. What do you want?"

"Umm, eggs!" Cara said, tugging her night shirt off over her head.

"Will do." Riza said, closing the door behind her as she left the room.

! 

"Mama, look what I made!" Cara said proudly, holding up a picture she'd drawn as Riza walked in the door.

"Wow!" Riza said, hugging her daughter. "Cara, where's Aunt Gracia? I want to talk to her about something."

"Um, I think she's in the kitchen." Cara said, pointing to the kitchen where the light was on.

"Do you ever get that flutter in your stomach, the one that won't go away?" Riza said quietly as she walked into the kitchen where Gracia was reading the newspaper and sipping tea.

"Every now and then, yes." Gracia said, smiling as Riza sat down across from her at the table.

"For you, does it usually mean something good, or something bad is about to happen?"

"A mixture." Gracia narrowed her eyes. "What's up?"

"I had that flutter in my stomach since I woke up. At Central, Havoc had that whole, 'I know something you don't know' look in his eye. I can just tell something is going to happen." Riza said, squeezing her eyes shut. "It's driving me insane!"

"I just hope it's not something terrible again. Riza, you deserve some good after the last ten years."

"I did get something good." she smiled, looking over her shoulder to see Cara standing in the door way.


	2. Shock

okay, thank you for my reviewers! Thanks goes out to... Jenny Grammy, Right Is Never Wrong, Fullmetal Fangirl, Bar-Ohki, silvergothicsweettooth, and Natsumi Sendo! Uh, next chapter. I _might_ be able to finish chapter 3 tonight. I'll try, trust me. Once again thanks to my reviewers and enjoy!

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__Chapter Two - Shock_

A knock on the door, followed by Black Hayate's barking woke Riza the next morning. She looked at the clock and groaned. It was just after one o'clock. She stretched and noticed Cara curled up against her again. She didn't stir when Riza left the bed. Riza sighed. That child could sleep through anything. Just another thing she'd inherited from him.

Riza yawned as she walked to the door, shooting a look and Hayate to silence him.

"Who is it?" she asked groggily, yawning again.

"Riza, open the door."

Her eyes widened and she opened the door. She pulled him into the house and shut the door, slamming him up against the wall.

"Who are you?!" she yelled, gripping him by the collar.

"Riza, it's me." he said, his breathing somewhat labored.

"No, you, you're dead. They, they told me, they told all of us, you are dead!"

"Riza, I'm not dead." Roy said, looking her in the eye. She took a deep shuddering breath as she released him and sat on the sofa, her head in her hands.

"Sir, is it really you?" she asked, her voice shakey.

Roy smirked. "Don't call me sir, Riza."

She let out another deep breath and looked up at him, blinking, sending the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Where were you? What happened? Why did you leave me?" she asked, her entire body shaking.

"Riza." he sighed, sitting down beside her.

"It's like seeing a ghost. The impossible." she said distantly. "Why did you have to leave that morning? We could have run off together, had a better life." her head dropped onto his shoulder.

"Well, it started seven years ago." he said and told his story.

And she listened. Her face expressionless, tears still streaming down her cheeks. Chills ran down her spine from being so close to him again. He hardly looked different, only a little more worn.

"Can I see her?" Roy asked once he was finished. Riza eyes widened. How had he known?

"How did you find out about her?"

"Havoc told me. He told me everything. Even about you pretty much breaking into my appartment."

"You saw Havoc before you came to see me?"

"I was in pretty bad shape, you wouldn't have wanted to see me right then."

"She seems to have had another bad dream. She's in my bed." Riza said, standing up.

Riza stood in the doorway as she watched Roy walk into her bedroom and kneeled down next to the bed, smoothing out Cara's hair. She heard him inhale as Cara stirred, scrunching up her nose. He smiled as he leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

As he walked out of the bedroom, he wrapped an arm around Riza's shoulders and pulled her to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and continued to let the tears flow freely, crying into his neck.

After five minutes of standing there, leaning against the door way, crying, Riza pulled away, wiping her eyes quickly. "Do you want some coffee, or tea? Are you hungry?" she asked, walking into the kitchen.

"Riza, I just want to talk to you." he said, following her.

"Then talk. While I make some coffee." she said, trying to busy herself.

Roy let out a quiet laugh. "You continue to surprise me." he said, taking her in.

She seemed to have change a lot. Her hair was a tad bit shorter, her hips a little wider, and she had lost weight. He realized that he had woken her up at one o'clock in the morning and noticed that her hair was messy. For pajamas, she was wearing a pair of blue flannel bottoms and a old, faded gray t-shirt.

"Riza," Roy said, sitting at the kitchen table, as she handed him a coffee mug and sat down across from him, pulling her right knee up to her chest, "first I want to say, that if I had known about Cara, or anything that happened, I would have come back. I stayed for so long because I thought it would be dangerous to try and contact you, or anybody else here."

"When I found out I was pregnant, I was so scared. I just kept asking myself how the whole situation would seem to others, and the military fraternization law. I was mostly afraid of losing her, because it seems that I've lost exerything important to me. First my mother, then my father and grandfather, that you."

"Well, I'm here to stay, now." Roy said.

"You sure about that?" Riza said, cracking a smile.

"Absolutely." he said smiling back at her.

"Good, because our daughter needs her father." Riza said, standing up from her chair and dumping the rest of her coffee in the sink.

Roy was shocked to hear her say 'our daughter'. He liked the sound of it.

Riza reached into the back of one of the cabinets and pulled something out. She walked over to Roy and placed it in his hand.

"A key?" he asked, turning it over in his hand.

"There a bedroom down the hall. When they put your apartment back on the renting list, I was able to retrieve most of your stuff. I keep the door locked. I labeled most of the boxes, all of your clothes are in there." RIza said, rubbing the side of her neck. "I'm afraid there's no other beds. I hope you like the couch. There're some blankets in the hall closet. Feel free to take a shower or eat anything in the fridge. I'll be getting up in about four hours. Night."

"Good night." Roy said, standing up as she passed him. "Riza?"

"Yes, sir?" she asked, pausing as she was about to walk into her bedroom and turning to face him.

"I really missed you." he said after a moment.

"I missed you, too, sir." she said with a small smile as she quietly closed the door into her bedroom quietly.

Twenty minutes later, Riza was laying awake in her bed, Cara curled up next to her. She didn't think she could sleep with _him_ only several feet away in the other room.

Closing her eyes, she thought back to the night, seven years ago when he showed up outside her apartment. It had been raining, and he had walked there. She had nearly laughed at the sight of him, soaking wet, standing on her door step and nearly midnight.

Over some coffee, they started talking. She could sense something was wrong and was whatever it was was weighing heavily on his mind. When she stood up, he did the same and he walked over to her and he, he kissed her.

She had resisted at first, of course, but soon melted and forgot how to breath. One thing led to another, as it always seemed to do, and less than an hour later, they were curled up under three layers of blankets in her bed. She'd never slept better than that night, with his arm clasped tight around her waist, leaning against his bare chest, her head resting in between his neck and shoulder.

Before they'd fallen asleep, they talked for an hour, in the same position that they ended up sleeping in. She saw a side of him that nobody had ever seen before, a vulnerable side with fears and regrets and dreams. It was then that he had said it. The three words that had been on her tounge for so many years before that day. "I love you." He had said it so plain and simple, no extra pizzaz, just what it was.

When she woke up the next morning and discovered that he had left, she was heartbroken. Was she just another one of those girls that he often had one-night stands with? She felt the space beside her and it was still warm.

Three weeks after that, they had declared Colonel Roy Mustang, the infamous Flame Alchemist, dead. Also on that day, 2nd Lt. Riza Hawkeye had been left heartbroken.

Nine months after that, Riza had Cara. Perfect, sweet, tiny Cara. She looked like him. The nose and the onyx black hair. Her eyes though, Riza found, were her own. The black haired and amber eyed baby girl. Her baby girl.

Riza rolled onto her side and wrapped an arm around her six year old. She squeezed her eyes shut, allowing two final tears to flow down her cheeks before drifting off to sleep.


	3. Hooky

I'm back! Thanks to my reviewers, again. Now, I got like, three reviews anticipating this scene. I had this scene in my mind since I decided to start the story. Hope you like it! sorry if the end is a little terrible. I couldn't think of anything when I was trying to finish this last night. sorry for any typos. Enjoy!

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Chapter Three - Hooky_

When Cara opened her eyes the next morning, it was nearly light outside. She didn't understand because her mother was still asleep beside her and it was way past the time when the alarm went off. Just then, Cara heard a noise outside the bedroom. She scrambled out of the bed and ran through the house to the kitchen where a tall man with black hair she'd never seen before was making breakfast.

Cara frowned and pulled herself up onto the counter to where she usually sat when her mother was cooking. She watched the man for a few minutes before he looked over at her.

"Good morning." he said, smiling quickly as he cracked another ege into the frying pan.

"Good morning." Cara said quickly. "Excuse me, but who are you?"

"I'm an old friend of your mother's." he said.

"Oh." Cara said, still a little groggy. "Does my Mama know you're here?"

"Yeah, she does. I turned off her alarm clock because I think she needs a vacation."

"Does that mean I don't get to go to my Aunt Gracia's today?" Cara asked, another frown on her face.

"You look like your mother when you frown like that." the man said smiling.

"I've been told." Cara said, smiling sweetly. "Hey, I've seen you before!"

"And just where have you seen me?"

"My Aunt Gracia has a picture of you, and her husband. He died a long time ago. She wouldn't tell me who you were, so I asked my friend Elysia and she said you were my papa." Cara paused. "And my mama has a picture of you, and her, and Uncle Jean, and Kain, and some other people in her dresser drawer. I like looking at it when I'm sad. One time, she caught me looking at it and got really mad. I don't know why though."

"You're mama loves you a lot." he told her.

"I know." she waited. "So, are you?"

"Am I what?" Roy asked, popping some bread into the toaster.

"Are you my papa?" Cara asked, tilting her head to the left slightly.

Roy smiled. "You're just like your mother. Beautiful and too smart for your own good. A rare combination." he paused, smirking at the anticipation on her face. "Yeah, Cara. I am your papa."

The six year olds eyes widened.

Right then, Riza barged out of the bedroom, clothes in hand.

"What the hell happened to my alarm?!" she shouted at Roy.

"I turned it off, I thought you needed a vacation." he shrugged, handing a plate of food to Cara.

"I do not need a vacation! Cara, go get dressed, I'm taking you to Aunt Gracia's in thirty minutes!"

"Mama, I don't want to go today! I want to stay here with Papa!" Cara said, her mouth full of egg.

Riza froze. "Roy, you had no right to tell her."

"You said it last night, she's our daughter." Roy said plainly.

"Cara, go get dressed, please. Stay in there until I come get you."

"Mama!" Cara whined, her shoulders slumping slightly.

"Cara, now!" Riza snapped. Cara scowled at her mother, but there was the unmistakable look of hurt in her eye as she obeyed her mother and slid off the counter and walked slowly to her bedroom.

"Riza-" Roy started.

"You had no right to tell her and no right to turn off my alarm. Dammit, I haven't been late in five years! I was only late then because Cara was sick all night and I over slept." Riza said, sitting down at the kitchen table, putting her head in her hands.

"You hurt her feelings." Roy commented, sitting down across from her.

"I know. I hate yelling at her and I feel terrible. She a tough cookie to crumble." Riza said, the corners of her mouth turning up a bit.

Just then the phone rang, startling her.

"Hello?" she asked, answering it with a sigh.

"Riza, what happened? Why didn't you drop Cara off?" Gracia asked on the other end of the line.

"Oh, um, my alarm didn't go off." she said, sending a look at Roy. "And something came up. But, I'm gonna be dropping her off within the hour."

"Uh, okay?" Gracia said, sounding slightly confussed. "I'll see you then."

"Yeah." Riza said and hung up the phone. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I need to get a shower and get to work."

"I already called you off." Roy said, taking a drink of coffee.

"You _what_?!" Riza shouted.

"I called you off, and if anybody asks, you do indeed have a handsome cousin named Homer Buttkiss." he said, trying to conceal a smirk.

Riza took in an angry breath and released it as a sigh. "I can't believe you. I better go check on Cara."

When Riza walked into Cara's room where she was sitting on her bed, fully dressed.

"Hey, kiddo." Riza said with a small smile. Cara didn't answer. Riza sat down on the bed beside her daughter. "I'm sorry." she offered.

"Mama, why do I have to go to Aunt Gracia's today? I just want to stay here with Papa!" Cara begged.

"Sweetie, not today. Me and Papa have some things we need to talk about." she said and the six year old frowned. "But, how about I tell Aunt Gracia that you won't be going over tomorrow and you can stay home instead?"

"Really?!" Cara asked excitedly.

Riza laughed. "Yeah, I promise. But first, I want you to do something for me."

"What is it, Mama?" Cara asked as her mother played with her hair.

"I don't want you to tell Aunt Gracia or Elysia about Papa being back, okay?"

"I won't Mama, I promise!" Cara said, looking true to her word.

"Good. Now, go finish your breakfast while I get a shower."

"Were you not even planning on telling her?" Roy asked, an hour later as he and Riza sat in near silence in the kitchen after she had dropped Cara off at Gracia's.

"About what?" Riza asked, frowning that frown Roy had oddly missed.

"About me being her father. Why did you get so mad?"

"Of course I was going to tell her. She's a smart girl, she would have figured it out within three days. It's just that _I_ wanted to be the one to tell her." Riza paused. "It's always just been me and her. Just the two of us. I was worried about how she might feel if all of a sudden, her father was thrown into her life."

"I'm sorry, but she asked me. I'm a decent liar, but I just couldn't lie to her." Roy said, shaking his head. "She told me about the picture in your dresser drawer."

Riza smiled. "I cought her looking at it once. I had completely forgotten it was in there. She was studying and it was like she couldn't stop. Like she wanted to have it engraved in her memory forever. I just lost it when I caught her. She started crying and wouldn't speak to me for the rest of the night." she laughed and was surprised to find tears in her eyes.

"I really do feel terrible about leaving like I did."

"I should have known you would. It was alway about honor and loyalty to you. I don't blame you. And it's okay because I love what I have, and nothing could change that."

"So, can I still stay here, if you love your life the way it was?" Roy asked, raising an eyebrow.

Riza smiled and stood up and walked into the kitchen. "If you did, it make my life even better, and Cara's, too. I can tell she's going to follow you around like a little lost puppy."

"I know." Roy laughed quickly then frowned. "What I said seven years ago. I really meant it. And I still mean it."

Riza pressed her lips together, a chill running down her spine and she smiled for a split second. She felt the insane urge to hug him.

And all of a sudden, she was.

He has appeared at her side and had pulled her to him. She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath as he buried his face in her damp hair.

"Sir," she started.

"Riza, please." he murmered, pressing his lips against her temple. She took a shakey breath and wrapped her arms around his neck. She let out the breath and nuzzled her face against his neck. He smelled the same, the same intoxicating scent that she couldn't get enough of.

As he started to pull away she unwrapped her arms from his neck and was surprised when he pressed his lips against hers. Surprised, she pulled away.

"I'm sorry." she said, stepping away from him.

"Don't be." he said, touching his lips. "My fault."

"Now, since this is my first 'sick day' in years, I believe I am going to take a nap." she said, slipping into her bedroom.

Once inside, she leaned against the door. How could she have done that? It was what she had wanted. But too soon. Sure, she'd already slept with Roy, Cara was proof of that, but moving too fast, she told herself. She needed time to come to terms that though he had been thought dead for seven years, he really wasn't.


	4. Bonding

So, sorry, short chapter. Didn't relize is was so short. But sorry it took so long, I had so much to do this past week I wasn't able to update. I'll try and update ay-sap. by the way, any story ideas or plot lines, just send me a message!_

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Chapter Four - Bonding 

At an undeterminable hour of the night, Roy woke up to the sound of a door opening and closing. He sat up on the couch and squinted in the darkness. "Riza?" he hissed.

"No, it's just me." a young voice said and was suddenly standing right in front of the couch. Cara.

"Cara, what are you doing up?" he asked, stretching.

"I had another bad dream. I was going to go into Mama's room." she said, her voice heavy with sleep as she rubbed her eyes.

"Don't bother your mother. Come crawl up here with me."

"Is there room?" she asked, tilting her head in the darkness.

"There's plenty of room." Roy said, pulling her up on the couch and placing her on his chest.

Ten minutes later, Cara was fast asleep. As Roy laid there staring up at the dark ceiling, stroking his daughter's hair, he thought about Hughes. He had always screamed at him to stop bragging about his wife and daughter. So, this is how Hughes had felt. Roy smiled to himself and soon drifted off to sleep.

Four hours later, just before Riza was about to leave for work, she woke Roy quietly.

"Morning." he said groggily.

"Good morning." she said, pinning her hair up. "I left clothes out for her, they're on her bed. My extension number at work is on the refridgerator, same with Gracia's and Ruthie Havoc's number. There's plenty of food, just don't let her have too many cookies or else she won't eat anything and won't stop begging for another."

"I'll keep that in mind." Roy said, stretching as much as he could.

"On the days I have off, she's usually up, bright eyed and bushy tailed, by ten." Riza said, grabbing her coat.

"Okay." Roy said, sitting up, being careful not to wake Cara, cradling her carefully as he stood up.

"When I woke up this morning, I was surprised she wasn't in my bed. I thought maybe she'd slept through the night in her own bed. But I guess not." she sighed as Roy placed the sleeping girl back down on the couch gently, draping the blanket over her. "She looked comfortable." she commented with a small smile.

"Anything special she needs to do today?" Roy asked, sitting down at the end of the couch.

"Try and get her to clean her room. Have her put her laundry in the basket. I'll do a load of clothes when I get home." Riza sighed, putting her coat on. "That's about it."

"I'll take care of her, no problem." Roy smiled, looking at the sleeping child.

"I know you will." she said, leaning down and kissing her daughter's forehead. "I'll be back before six."

"Bye." he said as she closed the door behind her.

"So, where were you?" Cara asked, looking up at him from her spot on the floor where she was coloring.

Roy thought of what he'd say to her. There was no way that he'd tell the six year old the entire story.

"Well, I was in the military with your Mama and I was sent on a mission and I, I got hurt. I stayed in a desert town for seven years. That's where I was. And I'm sorry." Cara looked at him and tilted her head. She seemed to do that a lot, he noticed. Then she smiled.

"It's okay. Mama said that the military is all about honor and doing as you're told. If you were told to go on that mission, then you had to." Cara shrugged, still smiling. If only it were that simple, he thought to himself.

"Good logic." he said quietly, watching as she doodled across the page. He looked at the clock. "Cara, your mama wanted you to clean up your room a little. You better get on it, she'll be home in about an hour."

Cara thought on it. "I guess you're right." she put her crayons back in her little pouch and stood up off the floor, taking her things and walking into her bedroom.

"Riza, what are you doing here?" Gracia asked, opening the door for Riza to come in.

"Are you busy?" Riza asked, a strange look in her eye.

"I-no." Gracia said, taking Riza's jacket and hanging it in the hall closet. "What happened yesterday? And today. I know you told me you wouldn't be bringing Cara over, but why?"

"Er, something came up. But don't worry, she's being taken care of." Riza sat down at the table, resting her elbow on the tabletop.

"Riza, tell me what's going on. You seem a tad, I don't know, off." she said, sitting down across from Riza.

Riza gave her a goofy smile. "You really want to know?"

"Yes! That's why I've been asking you!" Gracia said, holding her hands up for emphisis.

"He's not dead." Riza said quietly, biting her bottom lip as she smiled.

"What?" Gracia looked confused. "Who's not dead?"

"Roy. He's alive and he's at my house right now, taking care of my daughter." she said, laughing quietly. "He showed up two nights ago, around one. I-I couldn't believe it. I thought I was dreaming, or going insane, or something." Riza surprised to find herself crying. Again.


	5. Late

Yeah, sorry it took so long to update. Hit a little bit of writers block. and laziness. haha. but hopefully I'll be posting again before 2/13 because i'm leaving the next day for dc. but, if you're in high school and in JSA and have Winter Congress coming up in DC, you might see me there. ha. that'd be strange. but, NEXT CHAPTER!

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Chapter Five - Late

"She's finally asleep." Riza said, coming out of Cara's bedroom, quietly closing the door behind her.

"Does she usually stay up this late?" Roy asked, looking at the clock on the wall.

"Not at all." she sighed, sitting down at the table across from Roy. He looked tired. "So, did she run you ragged?"

"Not too badly. I've had a lot worse. Just not lately." he chuckled. "She is just like you."

"What do you mean?"

"The way she ponders before she answers a question, the way she thinks things through. Exactly like you."

"I think the opposite. She's just like you." Riza paused, "She procrastinates to the point of no reason, she could sleep through a nuclear explosion. Exactly like you. Looks like you too."

An akward silence fell over the dining room.

"How long are you going to stay in hiding?" she asked, looking down at the table before glancing at him quickly.

"I'm not sure." he said, watching her. "I haven't really thought about it much. I've grown comfortable here."

"I can tell. But you can't stay here in hiding forever, Roy."

"I know that. I'm still trying to figure out how it's all going to go through."

"Don't think about it now. I better get some sleep." she said, sliding back from the table.

"Riza, are you okay?" Roy asked, looking her over.

"Yeah." she smiled. "I'm okay. Still sinking in, I guess. The whole situation."

"It's still sinking in for me, too." he said, smiling back at her.

"I'm going to bed. Good night." she said, walking toward her bedroom, making a pit stop in the bathroom. She closed the door behind her.

Roy sat at the table, elbow propped up and his chin resting in his palm. He thought about Riza. How great she looked in her pajamas, with her hair down, trying to coax the six year old into going to bed. It fit her, perfectly.

Determined, he stood up and walked to the bathroom. He knocked briefly and waited for her to open the door.

"Roy, what is it?" she asked, opening the door, a worried look on her face.

"This." he said and kissed her. He could feel her surprise before she relaxed. He moved out of the doorway and into the bathroom, closing the door behind her and pressing her against the wall.

As he lifted her up slightly, her shirt rode up, her bare back being pressed against the cold tile made her shiver. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his tounge explored her mouth. He had one hand on her cheek, carressing it softly, the other on the back of her neck, pulling her closer to him. His hands trailed down her neck to the buttons of her pajama top. As he unbottoned the bottom button of her top and had slid his hands onto her shoulders, reality caught up with her.

"Roy." she said, resting her forehead against his, both of them breathing hard. "I'm sorry. I-I can't do this."

"No, no, no." he said, carressing her cheek again, "You told me yesterday. Sorry."

"I just can't go that fast." she said, kissing him softly.

"Okay, okay." he said, wrapping his arms around her waist, his hands warm on her bare skin. They stood there, against the bathroom wall, kissing for about twenty minutes.

Riza laughed. "I was supposed to be in bed almost a half hour ago. It's nearly midnight."

"That you were." Roy chuckled, kissing the side of her neck softly. She looked at him and kissed him softly again.

"You can sleep in my room, if you want. I know the couch can get somewhat uncomfortable." she offered, pushing his hair out of his eyes.

"I think I'll take you up on that." he said, kissing her quickly.

"Mama!" Cara shouted, bursting into Riza's room three hours later.

Riza woke first, sitting up. "Cara, what is it?"

"Mama, I went out into the living room and Papa's gone! We have to find him! I don't want him to leave and I didn't get to say good bye!" the six year old said frantically, tears running down her cheeks at a rapid pace.

"Cara, sweetie, listen to me. Listen." Riza swung her legs over the side o fthe bed, cupping her sobbing daughter's face. "Papa didn't leave. He's right here."

"What?" Cara coughed, looking confused.

"Papa slept in here tonight. He didn't leave." she told her daughter, who took a deep, shuddering breath. "Roy, wake up."

"What is it?" Roy asked groggily, sitting up on the other side of Riza.

"Papa!" Cara cried, rushing over to the other side of the bed, and throwing her arms around Roy's neck. "I thought you left!"

"Cara, I didn't leave. I'm right here." Roy said, stroking her hair as she cried, holding onto him tightly.

"I thought you left me without saying good bye." she sobbed but the words came out as jibberish.

"Come on, sweetie, calm down." he said soothingly, rubbing her back, trying anything to calm her down.

"Papa. I was so scared!" she continued.

Riza left the warm safety of the bed and padded over to Roy's side of the bed and sat down beside where he was comforting Cara. "Cara, come here. Let Papa sleep." she tried to coax her.

"No, I want Papa!" Cara sobbed so hard she started to choke and cough.

"Roy, give her to me, I can get her to calm down."

"No, it's okay. I've got her." Roy assured her, standing up, cradling the sobbing six year old. He walked her into the living room and sat down on the couch, turning on one of the lamps. He set her down beside him. "Cara, look at me."

She took a deep shuddering breath, looking up at him and coughed as she let out her deep breath. "I'm sorry, Papa." she said, trying to control the sobs.

"It's okay, it's okay." he said, whiping away the tears on her cheeks before continuing. "I want you to know that I don't plan on leaving anytime soon. If I do ever leave, I promise I wouldn't leave with out saying good bye."

"You pinkie swear?" she asked, holding up her tiny right pinkie.

"I pinkie swear." he smiled, linking his pinkie through hers. "Now come on, let's go back to bed." he said, picking her up.

"Can I sleep with you and Mama?" Cara asked, wrapping her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder.

"We'll make a deal. You can tonight, but this is the last night, okay?"

"Okay." Cara said, yawning loudly and rubbing her still wet eyes.

"Are you okay now, sweetie?" Riza asked, taking Cara from Roy and hugging her tightly.

"Yeah, I'm okay now." Cara smiled sleepily.

"Good. Now, let's go to bed." Riza smiled, walking over to the bed, allowing Cara to crawl between her and Roy,

Within ten minutes, Cara's breathing was regular again and Riza and Roy drifted to sleep as well, their daughter sleeping soundly between them.


	6. Friday

Oh my gosh, it's been over a month since I've updated. So extremely sorry. In the last month, I've had enough drama for a life-time. It started with a 'He said, she said' kinda thing and escalated. Funniest thing about it, what was said to be said, never was actually said. Now there's new drama just in the past week too, but I'mnot going to into that. Could be dangerous.

I'm sorry I haven't been able to update sooner! Enjoy.

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_Chapter Six - Friday_

"Where's Cara?" Roy asked as Riza walked in the house alone.

"She's staying at Gracia's tonight." Riza said, taking off her jacket. "You may want to get cleaned up."

"Why?" he asked, looking confused.

"We have guests coming in an hour and a half." Riza said, tossing him a clean towel.

"Who?" he asked, looking even more confused.

"Just trust me and go get a shower." she said, smiling devilishly.

"Okay, okay!" he said, throwing his hands up in defeat. She smiled again and walked into the kitchen. He followed her. "You want to join me?" he tempted, coming up behind her, wraping his arms around her waist and kissing her neck.

"Roy." she threatened.

"Riza." he said, mimicing her tone as he continued to kiss her neck. He began untucking her black shirt from her military pants.

"Roy!" she said, flipping around to face him, his arms still around her waist. She slapped him on the cheek playfully. "I told you I wanted to take this slow."

"How dare you suggest that I had sex on the brain." he said, changing his tone, his exterior breaking with a smile.

"You always have sex on the brain." Riza smiled, trying to untangle herself from his arms. She was unsuccessful.

"Touché." he smirked. "But I promise to keep my hands to myself." he paused. "Well, mostly." he noticed she was opening the drawer to her left. "Riza, what are you doing?" he asked.

"Nothing, sir." she said, looking him in the eye was she reached into the drawer and pulled out a gun, holding it against his throat. "Go get a shower. Now."

"You know, Riza, I'm not afraid of that anymore."

"And why is that?" she began walking him toward the bathroom, applying pressure.

"Because you won't shoot me. You love me too much." he gripped the door handle, his back pressed against the door.

"Mm. True." Riza smirked, removing the gun and pressing her lips against his as he turned the door knob.

Riza got odd amusement out of the looks on the three mens' faces. Falman just kept blinking, Breda kept furrowing his brow as if he was about to say something, while Fuery had his mouth hanging open. Havoc was also there, but, already knowing that Roy was alive, was smiling.

"Well, men, you haven't changed." Roy said, looking them over.

"Sir." Falman said, standing up and saluting his former officer.

"Er, how is this possible?" Fuery said, tilting his head to the side as he continued to stare at Roy.

"I'm glad you asked." Roy smiled, sitting down between Breda and Havoc. As he told his story, Riza stood behind him, her hands on his shoulders.

"So, the führer set out to kill you?" Breda said, cocking an eyebrow.

"Exactly." Roy nodded.

"Wow." Fuery said, letting out a breath.

"Yeah." Roy sighed.

"How about I make some tea." Riza said, trying to busy herself. She walked to the kitchen, Roy following her.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, pulling himself onto the countertop as she bustled around the kitchen.

"Not at all." she glanced over at him quickly. "Just a little strange for the six of us to all be together again."

"I know what you mean. It is strange." Roy chuckled.

"You ought to be out there with them. I know they've all missed you."

"I guess you're right." he said, sliding off the counter. "See you out there."

"Yeah." Riza said with a smile.

Roy sighed as he flopped back against the massive pile of pillows at the head of the bed.

"What?" Riza asked, removing many of the throw pillows from the bed, putting them in a pile on the window seat.

"Why do you have so many pillows?" he asked, frowning as he started counting all of them.

Riza laughed. "I don't know. Is it a problem?"

"Possibly." he laughed, taking one of the pillows and bopping her on the head.

"Stop that." she said, ripping the pillow from his hand. He laughed to himself then frowned. "What is it?"

"Just thinking." he stated.

"About what?" she questioned, throwing back the sheets on her side of the bed.

"I haven't been outside in almost a week." Roy said, furrowing his brow as she looked over at him.

"Maybe day after tomorrow, me, you and Cara can go on a picnic." Riza suggested, trying to get comfortable in the bed.

"That'd be nice." Roy nodded.

"Roy?" she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Hmm?"

"Tell me about the village." she yawned.

"What do you want to know about it?" he chuckled.

"Everything. I want to hear about the people, about the environment, everything." she said, sounding very tired.

"The people were all very friendly, most of them older. The village doctor, a woman around my age named Victoria was the one who cared for me when I first arrived there with a bullet in my leg. Her father and two older brothers built me a small, three room house beside their's. Her family treated me like a third son until I was able to get around on my own. When I decided to come back, the elder son, Ian, wanted to come with me. None of them had even been out of the village." Roy paused and discovered the Riza was already asleep. He laughed quietly to himself, pushing some hair out of her eyes. He leaned over and turned off the bed-side lamp and settled in to sleep.


	7. Picnic

Okay, Winglessfairy25 and i-mercuryuk, this entire story, I have been using divider symbols. Just the FanFiction server deletes them. Which is stupid. But, I redid my divider symbols and I now have ones that will show up.

This chapter was fun to write, brattier side of Cara is shown. The thing I put in at the end of the chapter, I'm going to look forward to doing more of later in this story. No, it is not a lemon. Honestly, did that pop into anyones head?

Well, enjoy, R&R, and have a nice day.

**Corianne.**

...(three minutes later) gasp! the stupid server cut my symblos again!...(tries again)

...(gasp) now the flippin' line thing isn't working either. I'm really tempted just to put in, (THERE IS A TIME SKIP HERE!) and I think I'm going to. Okay, maybe not that extreme.

Oh, and picesgirl01, about Havoc's kids, just read this chapter. Your review was actually half the inspiration for this chapter. Be proud. haha.

_Chapter Seven - Picnic_

"Mama?" Cara asked, looking down at her mother from her spot on Roy's shoulders as they walked.

"What is it, sweetie?" Riza asked, adjusting her denim jacket. It was nearing the end of March and was still rather cold.

"Is there a playground here?"

"I'm not sure, but we'll be there soon." Riza smiled up at her daughter.

As promised, they were going on a picnic. They had driven half way there and were now walking the rest of the way. Riza had called and invited the Havoc's who were meeting them there.

"I hope there is." Cara said, tilting her head to the side.

Five minutes later, the three of them aproached the family of four who had already laid out a large blanket under a large oak tree.

"Hello." Ruthie Havoc said as Riza set a large picnic basket down on the blanket.

"Good afternoon." Roy said, pulling Cara off his shoulders and set her down in his lap as he sat down across from Havoc on the blanket.

"Hey, Chief." Havoc smiled, wrapping an arm around his daughter's waist and pulling her back onto the blanket as she started to wander off while following a butterfly.

Ian, Havoc's son, had just turned four. His sandy blonde hair matched his father's while he possessed his mother's green eyes. The boy was tall for his age and seemed to have more than the average dose of energy for a child his age. Felicity, the girl, was twenty one months old. Her somewhat chubby face was framed by dark, thick looking curls, which she had inherited from Ruthie. Her bright blue eyes were very expressive and seemed to follow anything that moved.

"Hi, Cara!" Ian said excitedly.

"Hi, Ian." Cara smiled at him. Despite their two year age differance, the two were very close, having grown up together, almost like actual siblings. "Mama, there is a playground! Can I please go play?" she begged.

"I suppose so." Riza nodded. "Just stay where I can see you."

"Mommy, can I go, too?!" Ian asked.

Ruthie pursed her lips. "Stay with Cara." she said sternly.

"Okay!" he smiled at his mother before running after Cara.

"They just grow up so fast, don't they." Ruthie said watching as Cara pushed Ian on the swings.

"Yeah." Riza smiled, pulling a few blades of grass from the soil and lacing them through her fingers.

"I can't believe this one's almost two!" Ruthie said, pulling the giggling toddler into her lap.

"Cara's second birthday was a disaster. Do you remember that?"

"Was that the year she threw up on the cake?" Ruthie asked, pulling out a bag of baby carrots from the picnic basket and gave one to Felicity.

Riza laughed. "Yeah. I felt terrible for the poor thing. She was just so sick. And the doctor didn't have anything to give her."

"And I had no help to offer because the doctor had put me on bed rest." Ruthie stopped to laugh. "I remember I tried to send Jean over there to help you out. At the mention of it, he turned a bit green." Havoc laughed nerviously, running a hand through his hair.

"Jean, don't worry. She only threw up twice." Riza told him, patting his knee. "Those three days when she was sick was the worst. I hardly slept, I didn't eat either. She had a fever, she wouldn't stop crying, ugh, it was terrible." she frowned then looked over at her daughter and Ian who were still playing on the swings and couldn't help but smile.

"I wish I'd been there for that." Roy scoffed.

"I wish you had, too." Riza joked.

"Mommy!" Ian cried suddenly, running toward the the four adults and his little sister.

"Ian, what happened?!" Ruthie asked urgently, slipping Felicity into her husband's lap.

"Cara pushed me off the swing!" he said, tears in his eyes, lifting up his pant leg, exposing a bloody knee to his mother.

"Cara, get over here!" Roy yelled for his daughter.

"It was an accident!" she shouted as she ran toward the group.

"Then what happened?" Ruthie asked paticently, holding a paper towel to her son's knee.

"I was pushing him on the swings and he let go! It wasn't my fault!" Cara said, her eyes wide at the sight of blood.

"Ian, is that what happened?" Havoc asked, trying to get his son's attention.

"Yeah." the four year old said, looking down, but not at his knee.

"Sweetie, she didn't mean to push you off." Ruthie sighed, placing a band-aid that she'd brought just to be save over the small scrape on his knee. "You really just need to hang on to the swing."

"I told you it wasn't my fault." Cara scowled at Ian before sticking her tounge out at him.

"Cara!" Riza said sharply, gripping her daughter's arm rather tightly.

"What?" the six year old whined.

"Cara, apologize." she told her daughter sternly.

"Why? I didn't do anything." Cara continued, trying to free herself from her mother's grasp.

"Do it, or you're going to sit right here until we leave." Riza said, giving her daughter an ultimatum.

"Fine." she said, scowling at her mother. "I'm sorry, Ian."

"It's okay." Ian sniffled, looking down at his now bandaged knee.

"Now that nobody's bleeding anymore, how about we eat." Havoc suggested, digging into the picnic basket already.

**(There are no weapons of mass destruction. Just Chuck Norris.)**

"I've never really seen you disipline Cara before." Roy said as they slid into bed that night. "It was actually kind of sexy."

Riza laughed and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, I guess."

"Any time." Roy shrugged.

"But, Cara is definetly a brat some times, just like all kids her age. I just can't wait to see Felicity when she's Cara's age."

"Why?" Roy asked, furrowing his brow.

"I love that little girl to death, but Jean has her spoiled rotten. That child is going to have no boundries." Riza shook her head.

"Just wait until she's a teenager." he scoffed, turning off the lamp on his side of the bed. "You want to start something?"

"Like what?" Riza asked, eyebrow rised.

"I feel like I barely know Cara. I don't like that fact, it makes me feel like I've been a bad father--"

"But you're not. You're trying your hardest and she knows that." Riza cut in.

"But I want to hear stories about her when she was little. It may not seem like much more than a small story, but, it makes me feel closer to her. So, every night. You tell a story about Cara, and I'll tell a story about the villiage. Deal?"

"Sounds like it."

"Okay, you can start."

Riza thought for a moment, trying to think of something to say. "Well, to start, when I first had Cara, I was hardly able to get out of bed. So, every night, around five or so, they took turns, but either Havoc, Breda, Fuery, or Falman would come over and make me something for dinner and help with Cara. They all knew she was yours and they wanted to help so badly. Breda was never able to come over alone, he just couldn't handle it. Before he'd even walk into the old apartment, who ever came with him that night, usually Falman, would have to come in, and lock Hayate in the bathroom."

"Of course." Roy scoffed at his comrades well known fear.

"Fuery was always so careful with her. He would walk so slowly across the room and it would just aggrivate me. Falman was good with her, but Jean was so great with her. He was over most nights anyway. He even stayed over a few times so I could get some sleep." Riza paused. "I don't know if I would have been able to do it if they hadn't been there to help."

"That sounds like them." Roy smiled.

"And your story?" Riza said, anticipating it.

"My first night in my own house they'd built for me, I nearly burned it down." he paused so Riza could laugh. "They had put a small oven and cook top in there, and I didn't exactly know how to use it. I can't even remember what I was trying to cook, but I left it alone for a second, and I come back into the kitchen and it's on fire." Roy paused again. "I started freaking out, I even had to leave the fire and run over to Victoria's to get help. Then, she taught me how to use it, that way I didn't nearly burn down the house. Again."

"I thought you were a decent cook."

"I am. Just not at first with that stove. It was pretty bad. I had to eat with Victoria and her family again that night."

"That's funny." Riza laughed, looking at the alarm clock. It was nearly midnight. "Ugh." she groaned. "I have to go to work in the morning. I need to get some sleep."

"Me too. Picnics always did wear me out." Roy joked as Riza turned off her own bedside lap, casting the room into total darkness.

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**Corianne. **okay, I'm sorry about the random Chuck Norris line in there. But, I wanted something interesting as a time skipper thing. The server just hates me that much that I result to using Chuck Norris jokes as time skips.


	8. Tea

**Yeah, this is shorter than I thought. A lot shorter. But I wanted to post. I apologize for the shortness of the chapter and the delay of posting. I'm not going to make excuses, I'm just going to say it. I got lazy. And I had no inspiration. Sorry! But, short chapter. It's almost pathetic how short it is. But, either way, read&review, por favor.**

Chapter Eight - Tea

"Do you know what today is?" Riza asked, looking down into her cup of tea. She had been almost absent minded all day, seeming distracted.

"Hmm?" Roy raised an eyebrow.

"Seven years."

Roy's eyes softened. "Riza."

"I've just been wondering all day, all week even, if tomorrow I'm going to wake up and you're not going to be there." she pinched the bridge of her nose as she stirred her tea nerviously.

"I will be. I promise." he reached across the table and covered her hand with his own.

"I know, I know, I'm just always going to get this way, I think." Riza drummed her fingers on the table.

"But, you don't need to worry about it." he reassured her. She only nodded, pressing her lips together. Abruptly, she stood up, leaving the dining room.

She knocked lightly on Cara's bedroom door before opening it. She tiptoed in and switched on the bedside lamp. Cara was tucked in her bed like she was half an hour ago when Riza had tucked her in. When she sat down on the edge of the bed, she stirred.

"Is it morning already?" the six year old asked, rolling over toward her mother and rubbing her eyes.

"No, not yet." Riza shook her head, pushing her daughter's hair off her forehead. "I just wanted another hug."

"Oh." Cara said as she pulled herself up into a sitting position and met her mother's warm embrace. Riza closed her eyes, just holding her child.

"I love you, little girl." she told her, kissing the top of her head.

"I love you too, Mama." she laid back down as Riza turned the lamp back off and left the room.

**Chuck Norris **_**can**_** believe it's not butter.**

As part of tradition, Riza went to Roy's "grave," flowers in hand. She left Cara behind, as she always did. Following a tradition that was no longer necessary. She just felt it was something she needed to do.

After standing akwardly at the false grave for five minutes, she heard some familar foot falls. She turned around to saw a face she hadn't seen in quite a while.

"Lt. Hawkeye." he saluted her formally. She smiled.

"We're outside of the office, Edward." she said as she walked toward him.

"Old habit." he shrugged as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Ed, it's been so long!" Riza smiled, looking him over. "Have you gotten taller?"

"Only by half an inch." he grumbled, his height still obviously being a sore spot. "How's Cara?"

"She's great. Thanks for asking. So, from what I've been hearing around headquarters, Winry's pregnant?"

Ed smiled proudly. "Three more months."

"Good going, Ed. Congratulations." she hugged him again.

"Hard to believe it's been seven years since he left." he looked sadly at the grave, a crease wrinkling his brow.

"Edward, I want you and Alphonse to come over for tea tomorrow at noon. No exceptions. You have to come." she told him sternly.

"Uh, yes ma'am?" he sounded confused.

"I've got to get going." Riza looked at her watch. "I'll see you tomorrow."


	9. Meetings

**Yays, new chapter! Since I'm leaving for Washington DC in four days, I won't be posting a chapter until at Tuesday. But, yeah, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I thought it was longer, but, I guess not. The first appearance of Alphonse in this chappie. And no, he will no longer going armor boy on anybody's ass. haha, I got that off of an icon. Well, enjoy! Oh, and p.s., I updated my profile, so now, you can get more insight into my twisted mind. I have to admit, it's pretty dang sweet! REVIEW!** _

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Chapter Nine­ ­- Meetings

There was a loud, impatient sounding knock on the door. Riza looked at the clock on the wall above the kitchen sink. They were early, which surprised her greatly. Abandoning the dishes she was washing, she grabbed a towel and dried her hands as she walked to the door.

"Edward, Alphonse, come in!" she opened the door, giving them entrance to the house.

Walking past Riza, Ed gave her a smile. "Nice to see you again."

"As always, Edward." Riza paused and hugged him quickly. "Alphonse. I still can't believe you've grown so much."

Al smiled shyly, not sure what to say.

"Well, I made some lunch for Cara and I, but there's plenty extra if the two of you are hungry." Riza took their coats quickly, putting them on the coat rack.

"Nah, we just ate twenty minutes ago." Ed said, waving a hand nonchalantly.

"Al, would you like something to eat?"

"No thank you." he replied timidly.

"Alright." Riza sighed, walking further into the house. She knocked lightly on Cara's door. "Sweetie, Ed and Al are here."

"Really?!" the six year old asked excitedly.

"Yeah, come on out and see them." she held the door open for her daughter.

"Hey, Cara. You've grown." Ed gave her a hug and rested his hand on the top of her head.

"I was wondering if I got taller or if you got shorter." Cara shrugged. Ed flinched, and he moved as though a slight shock wave had been sent down his spine.

"Cara, what did I tell you about using that word around Edward?!" Riza hissed.

"Oops." the girl giggled, pressing her hand against her mouth.

"Riza, where's my gray shirt?" Roy asked from their bedroom.

"You have a boyfriend you haven't told me about?" Ed wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, wearing his ever present smirk.

"Ed, you're silly. That's not Mama's boyfriend. That's my papa!" Cara giggled again.

Ed's smirk vanished, his eyes darting from the Riza to the six year old, back to Riza. He crinkled his brow, a muscle in his exposed forearm twitching.

"Riza, didn't you hear-" Roy stopped mid sentence as he walked into the living room, soon stopping dead in his tracks.

"Colonel Mustang!" Al shouted excitedly. Ed didn't say anything. He took several steps toward Roy, a dead set look on his face.

"Hello, Edward." Roy smirked, his voice monotone.

Ed clenched his fists. "Where the hell have you been?" he said gravely, looking down at the floor.

"What was that?"

"I said, where the hell have you been, you deserting bastard!" Ed shouted, snapping his head up to stare down Roy.

"Nice little town in the desert. You'd like it there. Everyone has a short temper there." Roy's tone continued.

"I've gotten taller, which you'd have known if you hadn't left like that!" Ed shrieked, fists still in tight balls.

"Ed, why don't we just sit down-"

"I'm not going to sit down with you, and I'm not going listen to another word you have to say. And you'll be lucky if I don't kill you." he fumed.

"Brother, calm down!" Al counseled, rushing to his brother's side.

"Don't tell me to calm down, Al! This bastard left us all. He abandoned Riza, and you tell me to calm down?!" his blazing stare turned on his younger brother.

"Ed. Please." Riza tried, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Just listen to what he has to say."

"How can you trust him, Riza?! Why do you believe his story?! He could be lying about the whole damn thing. How do you know he didn't just up and leave? Maybe he found some woman who could actually put up with him and was living with her all these years. He probably just decided he was bored with her and thought, 'I haven't thought about Riza in quite a while, I wonder how her life is going.' How can you believe him?!"

"Ed, just shut up!" Riza shouted at him. Ed let out a deep breath, staring at her. He turned quickly, leaving the house.

"Brother!" Al shouted after him. "I'm sorry. He's really stressed out because of Winry. She's at that stage where she's really moody."

"Alphonse, it's fine. You don't have to make excuses for him." Roy said, plopping down onto the sofa, letting out a tired sigh. Cara scrambled onto it as well, resting her head against Roy's shoulder.

"Papa, why was Ed so upset?" she asked, looking sad.

"I guess I told him something he didn't want to hear." he told his daughter.

"Alphonse, you're welcome to stay for tea if you'd like." Riza tried to busy herself, already walking toward the kitchen.

"Thank you, Riza, but I better go find Ed." Alphonse inched backward to the door.

"If Ed decides he wants to talk, I'll be here." Roy said. Al left without another word.

**One Roundhouse Kick delivered by Chuck Norris could power the country of Australia for 42 hours.**

"Nice reunion, don't you think." Roy said sarcastically, hours later as he helped Riza clean up the kitchen. Cara was already curled up in bed.

"Roy, stop it." Riza said, not looking or sounding amused.

"It was a joke."

"I'm aware of that." she looked down into the sink, watching the water and soap suds flow down the drain. "I haven't seen him that upset in years." Roy didn't know what to say.

"Maybe I shouldn't have said the thing about the short tempers."

"You think?" Riza raised an eyebrow in his direction.

"Riza, I just wasn't thinking I'd see him anytime soon. You hadn't even mentioned that he was coming over, or in fact, you haven't mentioned him at all."

"I just wanted you to be a little surprised that he and Alphonse were coming by. I ran into Ed yesterday at the cometary, I just invited them over for tea. I wasn't thinking."

"Wait, you were at the cemetery?"

"Yeah." Riza sighed, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Why?"

"Simply the tradition of taking flowers to your 'grave' every year. The first year, I took Cara with me. She was only three and a half months old." Riza smiled at the memory. "I miss having a tiny baby around. Just having a little person that you have to do everything for."

"I missed all that and I really wish I hadn't." he stood behind her, pressing his lips to her hair.

"Roy-" Riza started, but was cut off by the sound of a knock on the door. She looked at the clock on the wall. "It's past ten, who could that be?" Taking her time, she left the kitchen and made her way to the front door. On the other side of the door was Ed.

"Hi." he said flatly.

"Come on in, Ed." she opened the door farther for him to enter the house.

"I'm really sorry about earlier." he said quietly, looking down at his feet.

"It's alright." Riza said after a moment's silence. "I pinned Roy up against the wall when he first showed up."

"You did?" Ed looked up at her. She smiled and nodded. "How long ago did he show up here?" he asked.

She sighed, mentally going over the weeks. "About three months."

"Hey, Ed." Roy said, stepping into the living room.

"I'll leave the two of you alone." Riza patted them each on the shoulder as she walked past them.

**A Chuck Norris delivered Roundhouse Kick is the prefered meathod of execution in 16 states.**

"Welcome back." Riza said grogily, rolling over as Roy entered their bedroom.

"Sorry. Did I wake you up?" Roy frowned as he pulled his shirt off over his head.

"No." she said, glancing at the clock. It was nearly 2 am. Roy and Ed had been talking for four hours. "Did it feel good talking to Ed again?"

"Surprisingly, yes."

"That's good." Riza said, draping her hand over her eyes, sighing. Her lips upturned into a smile as she felt Roy's weight on the bed.

"You better get back to sleep. You have work in the morning."

"I am 100 aware of that." she groaned. Roy chuckled, kissing her forehead. "Good night."

"What, no story tonight?" he raised an eyebrow, getting comfortable in the bed.

"You missed you chance by about...three hours." Riza switched off her lap.

"I guess you're right." Roy sighed.

* * *

**Are you honestly considering hitting any button besides the review button right now?! SHAME ON YOU, MISTER! _HIT THE DANG BUTTON!_ My dream is to have 100 hundred reviews by the time I post chapter 13. Help me achieve that dream!**


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